A reflection: "Be the change you want to see in the world"

Cherry thanked us yesterday for coming all this way to build her home and her life. Just saying 'it's our pleasure' does not capture the sentiment, nor does 'sure thing' or 'anytime.' For me, the most appropriate thing to say in reply is 'Thank YOU'. Thank you, Cherry, for your belief and confidence in us, strangers. Thank you for your tireless attitude out there on the build site. Thank you for opening your family, your culture, and your heart to us, who are motivated to work harder by your smile, your determination, and your will to make a better life for your family.

I set off on this trip for an adventure. I wanted to see a new place, learn a new culture. I wanted to have funny stories, exciting moments, and lots of memories. I wanted to be challenged and I wanted to be part of a team. I must say that all was accomplished, and more. The relationships I formed here are much stronger than that of two weeks, and relationships that could only be arranged by a complex twist of fate. That 3 Singaporeans, 14 energetic (and rambunctious) children, one great project engineer, hundreds of workers, the behind the scenes people at Habitat and 6 Americans could come together to build a home and build a family's life, is something powerful, something amazing. In collaborating with others from all over the world on ground that both Americans and Filipinos shed blood for, I am humbled. I am proud to represent my family and my friends who contributed so generously to this cause, and most importantly my country.

Together, hundreds of people are helping to give Cherry a place to sleep, a place to eat, a place to study, but most of all a place for her family to thrive, a place to rely on, a place of opportunity. I take these things for granted: my apartment, my health, the roads I drive on, the food I eat and water I drink, the air I breathe, and most importantly, the opportunity I have. This experience gives me tremendous gratitude that I not only can have these gifts in my life, but that I can help others provide themselves the opportunity for a better life.

Artist Isamu Noguchi said "We are all landscapes of that which we have seen." In experiencing other cultures, we learn our differences, but also realize our common ground, which is vast. We may speak different dialects, wear different clothing, and have different skin color, but when we come together, we realize our power, what we can DO if we work together, and how we can change the world, one home at a time.